If only you would listen. – Psalm 95:7
Dear Gatherers,
During this season of reflection, many of my morning devotions have me playing longtime favorite songs: Carole King’s “I Think I Can Hear You” (https://youtu.be/c49cLWnsei0) or Amy Grant’s “All I Ever Have to Be” (https://youtu.be/JWcU5t0VRw8). Aside from their greatness as musicians (and people), what I love most about Carole and Amy’s music is how honest they are. In both songs, they’re unabashed about letting God know what’s on their minds, and they sit quietly to hear God’s reply. These are not burning bush revelations. They’re not even still, small voice whisperings. What both singers discover comes from deep inside them—something they’ve probably known a long time, but haven’t taken the time or made the space to hear.
As I’ve said so many times, prayer is not a customer service line. It’s a conversation and for it to work in a meaningful way, we have to insert some silence to hear what the Spirit wants us to know. Prayer is, in every way, a mystical practice that we habitually try to normalize into something sensical. But prayer is sensory. It’s a way to examine our feelings and enable our Creator to offer truer ways of being. I don’t think either of these music icons would call herself a “prayer warrior” and yet they both have great insight into what praying is for and what it can accomplish. Click on the tunes. Sing along. Pray. Listen. Learn.
Peace,
Pastor Tim
PS: And watch for a FB link later this evening to our weekly Lenten prayer video. D’Angelo Smith will be leading us in a prayer experience that will bless us all!
Giving News
We’re grateful for everyone who faithfully offered tithes, monthly contributions, and gifts to sustain Gather’s ministry. Together we gave $5,569, enabling us to meet our expenses and put some in reserve to prepare for our move into a settled space. If you’re not a regular Gather supporter, we encourage you to join in. This is a pivotal time for us, and consistent giving will enable us to live into everything God desires for us as a community and individuals.
A Lenten Journey with Madeleine L’Engle
This year we’re traveling Lent with an expert navigator, the famous 20th-century author and religious thinker, Madeleine L’Engle. You can order her book 40-Day Journey with Madeleine L’Engle on Amazon. (It’s also available on Kindle.) Then join us each Thursday as we look over the past week’s readings and discuss what spoke to us.
A 40-Day Journey with Madeleine L’Engle
This year we’re traveling Lent with an expert navigator, the famous 20th-century author and religious thinker, Madeleine L’Engle. You can order her book 40-Day Journey with Madeleine L’Engle on Amazon. (It’s also available on Kindle.) Then join us each Thursday as we look over the past week’s readings and discuss what spoke to us.